Steep Falls Wildlife Management Area Steep Falls Wildllife Managment Area is located in Standish and Baldwin 20 miles from Portland and 24 miles ' from the cities of Biddeford and Saco. It is also approximately two miles southwest of Sebago Lake, a major recreation area. World famous landlocked salmon fishing, historically fine deer hunting, proximity to several ski areas and undeveloped land base contribute to the popularity of the area.
wood ducks, black ducks, mallards, and hooded mergansers, use wetland areas to a limited extent. Whitetailed deer utilize the area year-round, while black bear and moose are occasional visitors. Tucker Brook, which flows through the area, has a population of brook trout.
Habitat
Management
The area encompasses approximately 4,910 acres of forestland, wooded swamp, and wetland. Historic logging has resulted in a diversity of stand types and age classes. Reverting fields and old log yards are prevalent and beaver activity has created flowages throughout.
The overall management objective is to provide for optimum levels of all indigenous wildlife and recreational use by sportsmen and others. Specific activities include habitat manipulation through fuel wood and pre-commercial cuts, and commercial harvest. The Department continues to use prescriptions of even-aged and uneven-aged management and timber stand improvement to accomplish these objectives. In addition , roadside shoulders, ditches, skid trails, and log landings are treated with lime, fertilizer and a special wildlife seed mix , and are maintained by periodic mowing. Past land use policies have benefited deer on the area. Continuation of forest management will maintain quality deer habitat, with timber stand improvements at locations historically providing winter cover and browse for deer a priority. Other species, including snowshoe hare and ruffed grouse, have already benefited from uneven aged forest types and past land use practices, including small bums, and are expected to continue to benefit indirectly from a 10-year stand operations cycle and interspersion of forest types. Beaver occur on the area periodically. Complaints of flooding have necessitated dam removal and beaver relocation efforts. However, management is provided by regulations developed annually. Increased water levels due to the presence of beaver benefit other wetland
History The Department historically recognized the sizable white-tailed deer population in the area and its importance in providing deer wintering habitat. This, along with forbearer and waterfowl habitat and the large undeveloped land area, attracted Department interest when the parcel was put up for sale. Guidelines for the State of Maine Wildlife Habitat Acquisition Bond Issue of 1974 were to acquire relatively large tracts of land which were most vulnerable to development. Priority was to be given to upland habitat that was strategically located in the State and was easily accessible to a large population center. Initial acquisition of the Steep Falls WMA was completed in 1977. Three additional parcels totaling 229 acres were purchased in 198 l. In 1995 two parcels totaling 1,373 acres were purchased with funds from the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Act.
Dominant Species The area contains an array of wildlife species typical of south ern Ma ine. Upland game includes snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse and woodcock. Furbearers include fisher, red fox, coyote, bobcat, raccoon , beaver, mink, muskrat and otter. Migratory waterfowl , including
MAINE Fish and Wildlife
Mark Latti photo
furbearers. Meanwhile, public access is being provided for their utilization.
Activities and Facilities The area is used by sportsmen , hikers, and birdwatchers. Hiking trails are marked by the adjacent campground and logging roads are open to foot traffic. The Department owns in common the main access road to Adams Pond. It is a graveled 40-foot right-of-way approximately 2.2 miles in length . In addition to this, there are approximately seven miles of summer and winter haul roads traversing the area, 2.5 miles of which are located on recently acquired property.
Directions The area is accessible from several major and secondary roads. It is accessible from Route 114, opposite Ward's Cove on Sebago Lake. The south end is accessible from Route 113 by taking Boundary Road east. There is also an access road to Adams Pond off Route 113 on the Standish - Baldwin line. The smaller, northern unit is accessible off Route 11 in East Sebago.
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